By Jami Gibson

As someone who is enthusiastic about self improvement, I really enjoy watching short TED videos that inspire actions for personal development. Matt Cutts, an engineer at Google, presented the following TED talk about setting 30-day goals for self betterment: http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html.

By adding or subtracting routines from daily life for 30 days, one can create new habits or change old ones, Matt states. When he tried several of these 30-day challenges, Matt realized many benefits in addition to the new healthy habits he was developing. He was able to live in the “here and now” by consciously making daily decisions instead of letting the months pass him by  when doing the usual routine. He gained more self-confidence and a renewed sense of adventure and moved on to attain even bigger goals he never thought possible.

Perhaps his greatest appreciation for these challenges came when he learned that by making small changes for just 30 days, these new lifestyle choices were actually sustainable in the long-run. Small incremental transitions can yield big results.

So as Matt asked, what are we waiting for? Could this method of thinking and doing help you achieve your personal goals without becoming overwhelmed or discouraged? View Matt’s TED presentation for some inspirational 30 day challenge ideas!